Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, it is not possible to become a donor if we are unable to communicate with you in either Dutch or English at the blood bank. It is important that you are able to clearly indicate how you are feeling during your donation. For example, if something is wrong while you are donating, we need to be able to help you properly.

You therefore need to be able to express yourself clearly in Dutch or English without the help of an interpreter or translation app.

If reading is difficult, for example due to visual impairment or illiteracy, we will go through the donor information and the health questionnaire with the donor verbally. Donor information and a health questionnaire are also available in English.

Read more about the other requirements for becoming a donor here.

We recommend that you sit down for a while after donating tohave something to eat or drink. You can leave the Sanquin location when you feel well, after 10-15 minutes.

You can sign up as a blood donor if you are between 18 and 65 years old. You can donate blood up to the age of 79.

Donors aged 65 and older have a yearly health check with the donor doctor. During this check, the doctor assesses whether you are fit enough and have no symptoms that indicate heart or blood vessel disease.

There are two main forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), each with a different cause.

Classic CJD

Classic CJD can be contracted in several ways. Most commonly, it occurs spontaneously. It can also run in families, meaning it may be inherited. In rare cases, transmission has occurred through transplants of brain membranes or corneas. Another historic route of transmission was treatment with human growth hormone extracted from brain tissue. The use of such growth hormones has since been discontinued in the Netherlands.

Variant CJD

Variant CJD can be acquired by eating meat from cattle infected with BSE ("mad cow disease"). This was particularly relevant during the BSE outbreak among cows in the United Kingdom in the 1990s.

It is likely that the proteins causing CJD can also be transmitted via blood or plasma. This means that both classic and variant forms of CJD could potentially be transmitted through transfusions, transplants, or the use of contaminated medical instruments.

CJD is extremely rare, so the chance of contracting the disease is exceedingly low.

Read more:  

• What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob and blood donation

Since the MijnSanquin login screen is only available in Dutch, we are happy to guide you through the steps using the Dutch terms shown on the login page.

1. Go to mijn.sanquin.nl.
2. Click on ‘Maak een account aan’ to create an account.
3. Enter your e-mail address (e-mailadres), your donor number (donornummer) and your date of birth (geboortedatum).
4. Click on 'Doorgaan' to continue to the next step.
5. Then choose a password to secure your account.
6. Confirm your registration.

You can then log in to your account. Each time you log in, you first enter your password, followed by a verification code which you will receive by email.

Tips:

• Make sure you use the exact email address we have on record for you. Using a different email address will not work.
• You can find your 7-digit donor number in all email messages we send to you.
• Having trouble? Call or email us and we will be happy to help.

Your visit to the blood bank will take about one hour in total. This includes filling out the questionnaire and undergoing the health check. The actual blood donation takes about ten minutes.

Sanquin has many locations throughout the Netherlands, so there is usually one near you.

Do not wear a shirt or sweater with very tight sleeves. It should be easy to roll up your sleeve so we can reach your vein.

The donor doctor will go through the medical questionnaire with you. The doctor ensures that donating blood is safe and not harmful to your health. During the check, we measure your blood pressure, ask your weight, and measure the hemoglobin (iron) level in your blood.

After speaking with the doctor, a donor assistant takes a few small tubes of blood for testing. 
 

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare, incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Initial symptoms often include memory impairment and muscle stiffness, which develop insidiously and progressively worsen over time. In more advanced stages, patients may experience behavioral changes, dementia, and in some cases, loss of vision and speech. Motor disturbances become increasingly pronounced, characterized by involuntary, jerky movements. Ultimately, individuals become entirely dependent on care and succumb to the disease.

CJD is caused by a misfolded form of a naturally occurring protein. The incidence is approximately one case per million people per year.

In 1996, it was discovered that the protein responsible for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, can be transmitted to humans. Due to the clinical and pathological similarities with CJD, this human form was termed variant CJD (vCJD). Since then, the original form has been referred to as classical CJD.

Read more:  

• How can someone get Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob and blood donation

Blood is mainly needed for people who have lost a lot of blood during major surgery or an accident. Some diseases and treatments, such as leukemia and chemotherapy, affect the blood or the body’s ability to make blood cells. In these cases, too, patients need blood products.

Bring your invitation (on paper or digital) and a valid ID (passport, ID card, or driver’s license). Please note that copies, scans, or photos of your ID on paper or on your phone are not permitted.

Sanquin has permanent and mobile donation locations across the Netherlands. You will receive an email invitation for a location as close to you as possible. For some people this may mean a short trip, for others a bit further. You can check the donation locations (in Dutch) to find one near your home or work.